Facial recognition used to ID Ohio slaying suspect

Published: January 23, 2014 6:55AM

AKRON, Ohio (AP) -- Akron investigators say they identified a homicide suspect using facial recognition software made available to police last summer through Ohio's law enforcement information-sharing system.

A spokeswoman for Ohio's attorney general tells the Akron Beacon Journal (http://bit.ly/LXW8Nz ) she's not aware of other homicide cases that were closed because of the facial recognition software.

Akron police say they used the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway database to help identify a photograph obtained during the investigation of a Monday robbery and shooting death. The database includes driver's license photos.

The 37-year-old man identified as a potential match to the photo was arrested after follow-up interviews. He is one of three suspects in the case.

Critics call the facial recognition technology intrusive. A state panel studying access to the information-sharing system recommended stricter access requirements.